[WATCH] Five migrants die as boat capsizes three miles off the coast of Żonqor

Updated at 7:30pm with government statement

Five immigrants have died after a boat capsized near Żonqor during a rescue operation by the Armed Forces.

In a press conference delivered by AFM Deputy Commander, Edric Zahra it was explained that at around 10:45am the AFM’s operation centre received a call informing them of a migrant boat around five miles off Żonqor.

Zahra explained that an AFM airplane was sent to the boat’s location in order to verify the information. It was then confirmed that a 25-foot boat with two motors was about three miles away from the Maltese coast.

A vessel dispatched by the AFM met the migrant boat around three miles off the coast of Żonqor

An AFM vessel was sent to the boat’s location. When the AFM met the migrant boat near a fish farm, a rescue operation was initiated. Zahra said “the boat suddenly capsized” and migrants on board ended up in the sea.

After the incident, the AFM sent more vessels to the area in order to rescue the migrants. Five migrants lost their life at sea.

Zahra said 21 migrants were taken to the Ħal Safi open centre and eight were taken to hospital for medical care. The Deputy Commander said the victims were a woman and four men. The rescued migrants who have been taken to the open centre and hospital are all men.

The migrants are believed to have originated from a number of countries, including Syria, Egypt, Ghana and Eritrea. The boat is believed to have left Tripoli in Libya some three or four days ago, according to the UNHCR.

In a statement on Friday evening, the government expressed "deep regret" over the death of the five people.

Meanwhile, it commended the AFM's efforts and assistance of medics. It added that Friday's tragedy was, unfortunately, the result of human trafficking models that the Maltese government would continue trying to dismantle.